Disposable antiseptic dental shield
OwnerJohn E. Sneddeninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Antiseptic dental shields for preventing contamination of hand-held dental devices with infective micro-organisms or other pathogenic substances are disclosed. Such shields comprise an elongated disposable sanitary sleeve which cover at least a substantial portion of exterior surfaces of the hand-held dental devices. The sleeves are flexible, transparent, and sufficiently thin for accommodating manual manipulation of controls on the hand-held dental devices while maintaining sterility thereof. A disposable hanger adapter can be employed to connect with existing hangers which conveniently mount hand-held dental devices to further prevent contaminants from being transferred from one dental patient to another.
Claims16
An antiseptic dental shield for preventing contamination of a hand-held dental device with infective microorganisms or other pathogenic substances to prevent transfer of such substances from one dental patient to another, the hand-held dental device being longitudinally elongated and having a longitudinal length, and being adapted for receiving a removable end piece at one longitudinal end thereof, the opposite longitudinal end being adapted for connection to a utility supplying hose, the removable end piece being specifically adapted for insertion into a patient's mouth for performing a dental function, the shield comprising:
- an elongated disposable sanitary sleeve for covering at least a substantial portion of exterior surfaces of the hand-held dental device, the sleeve being substantially impervious to transmission of pathogenic substances;
- wherein the sleeve has a length which is greater than the longitudinal length of the hand-held dental device to shield exterior surfaces of the hand-held dental device along its entire length, and to shield a portion of a utility hose connected to the dental device;
- and
- an antiseptic hanger adapter for a hanger upon which a hand-held dental device is normally receivable, the hanger adapter including first engaging means for connecting the hanger adapter to the hanger, and second engaging means for receiving the covered hand-held dental device to separate the covered hand-held dental device from the hanger.
An antiseptic dental shield for preventing contamination of a dental evacuator device which evacuates fluid from a dental patient's mouth by suction, the evacuator device having one end which is normally adapted for receiving a disposable evacuator tube piece which extends into a dental patient's mouth, the end opposite the one end receiving a vacuum hose which is connected to a vacuum source, the shield comprising:
- a disposable hollow tubular adapter having opposed longitudinal ends, one of the adapter ends being sized and shaped for sealing engagement with the one end of the evacuation device, the other of the adapter ends being sized and shaped for sealing engagement with the disposable evacuator tube piece which extends into the dental patient's mouth;
- and
- an elongated sanitary sleeve having one end sealed to the adapter and being longitudinally extendible from the adapter to cover and shield exterior surfaces of the evacuator device, the sleeve and adapter being substantially impervious to pathogenic substances.
A disposable dental fluid evacuation apparatus specifically adapted for attachment to a dental evacuator device for evacuating dental fluid from a dental patient's mouth by suction, the apparatus comprising:
- a disposable elongated evacuator tube piece having internal and external surfaces, the internal surfaces defining a passageway through which fluid flows from the dental patient's mouth to the dental evacuator device;
- and
- an elongated sanitary sleeve having an end sealed to the exterior surfaces of the evacuator tube piece and extending longitudinally from the evacuator tube piece for covering exterior surfaces of the dental evacuator device, the sleeve being substantially impervious to pathogenic substances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.